WEBVTT GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. AN ADEL MA WHO DIED AFTER A WEEKEND CRASH NEAR THE EAST MIX-MASTER WILL HELP HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE BECAUSE HE WAS AN ORGAN DONOR. KCCI SENIOR REPORTER TODD MAGEL IS LIVE AT METHODIST MEDICAL CENTER WITH THE STORY OF AUSTIN GAINUS TODD: AUSTIN GAINUSS WAS INJURED IN A CAR ACCIDENT AND A FRIEND OF HIS WAS KILLED IN THAT SAME ACCIDENT NEAR THE EAST MIXMASTER THIS WEEEND. HE WAS BROUGHT HERE AND TAKEN OFF LIFE SUPPORT HERE TUESDAY. HE HAD A VERY SPECIAL CEREMONY. AUSTIN GAINUSS’S AUNT RECORDED THIS UNUSUAL CEREMONY INSIDE METHODIST MEDICAL CENTER’S CRITICAL CARE UNIT. AUSTIN WAS IN THE NAVY. SO NAVY PERSONNEL ALONG WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY FORMED A SPECIAL HONOR GUARD CEREMONY AS HE WAS MOVED ALONG A HOSPITAL CORRIDOR NEAR HIS ROOM. A SHORT TIME LATER, HE WAS TAKEN OFF LIFE SUPPORT. >> IT’S JUST SUCH A BEAUTIFUL WAY TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THIS PERSON WHO NOT ONLY LIVED A BEAUTIFUL LIFE, BUT ALSO GAVE THE ULTIMATE GIFT AT THE END. TODD: GAINUSS NEVER WOKE UP FROM THE SATURDAY NIGHT CRASH THAT KILLED HIM AND A FRIEND, 24-YEAR-OLD JOSHUA COX. THE STATE PATROL SAYS THEIR CAR WAS REAR-ENDED BY 37-YEAR-OLD TRAVIS GONZALES NEAR THE EAST MIXMASTER. GONZALES SURVIVED AND MAY HAVE BEEN DRINKING. GAINUSS’S FAMILY WAS TOO UPSET TO TALK ABOUT THE CRASH TODAY. BUT THEY DID TELL US HE WAS A WONDERFUL FATHER OF A TWO-YEAR-OLD GIRL. GAINUSS WAS HOME VISITING FOR THE HOLIDAYS AND WAS ON HIS WAY TO THE AIRPORT AND BACK TO HIS NAVY BASE WHEN THE CRASH HAPPENED. HIS AUNT SAYS GAINUSS DONATED HIS ORGANS AND OTHER BODY PARTS AND HELPED MORE THAN 200 PEOPLE. THE IOWA DONOR NETWORK SAYS THAT KIND OF GENEROSITY MAKES GAINUSS A HERO. >> THE GIFT THAT THE DONOR AND THE DONOR FAMILY GIVE IS THE MOST PRECIOUS GIFT THAT ANYONE CAN RECEIVE, IT IS THE GIFT OF LIFE. TODD: BY THE WAY, ANYONE CAN BE AN ORGAN DONOR. THE SIMPLE WAY TO DO IT IS SIGN UP WHEN YOU GET YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE. STACEY: STILL NO CHARGES FILED IN CONNECTION WITH THE CRASH THAT KILLED JOSHUA COX AND AUSTIN GAINUSS. THE IOWA STATE PATROL SAYS 37-YEAR-OLD TRAVIS GONZALES OF BONDURANT WAS DRIVING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED SATURDAY ON INTERSTATE 80 NEAR THE EAST MIXMASTER WHEN HE REAR-ENDED GAINUSS’S CAR, CAUSING GAINUSS’S CAR TO CRASH INTO A TREE. GONZALES WAS NOT SERIOUSLY HURT. INVESTIGATORS ARE WAITING FOR A TOXICOLOGY REPORT BEFO

A Navy veteran from Adel who died Tuesday from injuries he suffered in a car crash will help hundreds of people because he was an organ donor.The crash happened Saturday night when investigators said 37-year-old Travis Gonzales, who was allegedly under the influence, was speeding on westbound Interstate 80 near the East Mixmaster when he slammed his pickup into the back of a car.Twenty-four-year-old Joshua Cox died in the crash, and 22-year-old Austin Gainuss was taken to Methodist Medical Center.RELATED: Authorities confirm second fatality in deadly Interstate 80 crash Gainuss' aunt recorded video inside the hospital's critical care unit in which Navy personnel, along with friends and family, formed a special honor guard ceremony as he was moved along a corridor near his room. A short time later, he was taken off life support.Gainuss' family members didn't want to talk about the crash Wednesday, but they told KCCI that he was a wonderful father to a 2-year-old girl.Gainuss was visiting home for the holidays and was on his way to the airport and back to his Navy base when the crash happened, family members said.His aunt said Gainuss donated his organs and other body parts, helping more than 200 people. Kaylie Hoyle, with the Iowa Donor Network, said it's that kind of generosity that makes Gainuss a hero."It's just such a beautiful way to this person, who not only lived a beautiful life, but also gave the ultimate gift at the end," Hoyle said. "The gift that the donor and the donor family give is the most precious gift that anyone can give: the gift of life."Anyone can be an organ donor and can sign up when they get their driver's license.Gonzales, who refused medical treatment at the scene, was not seriously hurt. Iowa State Patrol Sgt. Nathan Ludwig said troopers reported the accident as being "one of the worst (crashes) they'd ever seen."There have been no charges filed as of Wednesday afternoon in connection with the crash. Investigators said they are waiting for results from a toxicology report before deciding whether charges should be filed.

DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) —

A Navy veteran from Adel who died Tuesday from injuries he suffered in a car crash will help hundreds of people because he was an organ donor.

The crash happened Saturday night when investigators said 37-year-old Travis Gonzales, who was allegedly under the influence, was speeding on westbound Interstate 80 near the East Mixmaster when he slammed his pickup into the back of a car.

Advertisement

Twenty-four-year-old Joshua Cox died in the crash, and 22-year-old Austin Gainuss was taken to Methodist Medical Center.

Gainuss' aunt recorded video inside the hospital's critical care unit in which Navy personnel, along with friends and family, formed a special honor guard ceremony as he was moved along a corridor near his room. A short time later, he was taken off life support.

Gainuss' family members didn't want to talk about the crash Wednesday, but they told KCCI that he was a wonderful father to a 2-year-old girl.

Gainuss was visiting home for the holidays and was on his way to the airport and back to his Navy base when the crash happened, family members said.

His aunt said Gainuss donated his organs and other body parts, helping more than 200 people. Kaylie Hoyle, with the Iowa Donor Network, said it's that kind of generosity that makes Gainuss a hero.

"It's just such a beautiful way to this person, who not only lived a beautiful life, but also gave the ultimate gift at the end," Hoyle said. "The gift that the donor and the donor family give is the most precious gift that anyone can give: the gift of life."

Anyone can be an organ donor and can sign up when they get their driver's license.

Gonzales, who refused medical treatment at the scene, was not seriously hurt. Iowa State Patrol Sgt. Nathan Ludwig said troopers reported the accident as being "one of the worst (crashes) they'd ever seen."

There have been no charges filed as of Wednesday afternoon in connection with the crash. Investigators said they are waiting for results from a toxicology report before deciding whether charges should be filed.